Re: [Leica] Which Ultra-Wide, Heliar 15mm or Heliar 12mm

["onetreehillclw" <onetreehillclw@compaq.net>]

Instead of getting a 12mm( I have the 15mm), what I did was
take the 21/f2.8 Elmarit and I grinded the front element down to where I got
a 12mm lens. No flare either.I picked up the grinder at Sears. Good price on
Craftsman this week.

Chris

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Guy Bennett" <gbennett@lainet.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Which Ultra-Wide, Heliar 15mm or Heliar 12mm


> >Does anyone have an opinion or has anyone had experience in using these
two
> >lenses?
> >[snip]
> >Information of image quality, usability, differences in the two finders,
i.e.
> >barrelling and build quality would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> >Julian Topley
>
>
> Having neither of these lenses, I feel fully qualified to comment...
>
> I have thought about buying one or the other of these lenses at some
point,
> and, should I ever do so (and I hope Mark doesn't find out if I do!), I
> think I would go for the 15, for the following reasons:
>
> - it's cheaper than the 12 by a non-negligeable amount
> - it's distorsion is going to be less pronounced than the 15
>
> I've seen and handled them both - the 12 definitely seems better made, a
> more solid lens than the 15, a bit bigger and heftier. Seems balanced for
> an M camera whereas the 15 seems to have been made with the old LTM lens
> proportions in mind. Being a lover of distorsion, I'm more drawn to the
> potential of the 12 however this is a focal length I will rarely use and
> would find it difficult to justify spending $600-$800 on such a lens. $400
> is another story.
>
> The positive reports that we've had on the 15 and it's reasonable price
> make it a possibility for me. Should I ever stumble across the 12 at an
> exceptionally good price, I might consider it.
>
> Guy